racin' on the radio

Once in a while I'll catch the MRN (Motor Racing Network?) covering a NASCAR race live. That usually means I'm not at home (well, duh!) and in my car (well, double duh!).

Back around 1953 local Top Dog! station, CKNW, did some broadcasts from Digney Speedway. Sportscaster Jim Cox did a delayed show featuring interviews and race coverage. I've never heard any of them, even asked the late great deejay Jack Cullen once about anything being saved and he said not that he was aware of. But I keep hoping. (I've heard a race from Langford Speedway in Victoria that was broadcast back in the late 1940s. The race was "taped" onto an acetate disc live and then quickly run over to the radio station in Victoria for a delayed show that the racers could hear and then bench race all over again.)

death drives a midget, part eight

More King of the Mounted. The race starts. Shorty Spade is trying to get by the former Cyclone Bill midget now being driven by Two Wheel Drake. It's a tight race with mayhem possible from the Drake car sabotaged by Shorty, who thought Cyclone would be driving it. Got that? Good:

G.B. Sterne, part two

Some more on G.B. Sterne, who won a ton of trophies at Westwood and elsewhere in the surrounding areas of Washington State.

Here's a link for G.B. Sterne online.

G.B. Sterne, part one

I always heard him referred to as George Sterne, but I've learned that he liked to be called "G.B." A ton of stories to be found at the Morgan site.

road trip for races down south

Ad for the Tacoma AAA (American Automobile Association) races on the board track. This came from another 1920s Victoria newspaper. Big names racing close to home. A ferry ride, then a train ride and you're there watching the races.

going to the movies

Here's an ad from a 1922 Victoria newspaper:



Looks like a tale along the lines of the Cannonball Race.

interesting sites for custom car photos

This one from the southern climes:

custom car photo archives

And this one (much more local):

BC Hot Rod Association

season ending trophies

Larry McBride was champion at Digney Speedway a few times: 1950 in the hot rods, and 1952 and 1954 in the stock cars. The bottom photo appears to be from 1952 with him holding an armful of booty from the track.

death drives a midget, part seven

More from King of the Mounted. Suspense rises as Humpy thinks the worst will happen, only because it's going happen to the wrong person. Then he finds out his stooge didn't do the dirty work and is relieved. But Shorty Spade knows better, because he put the bad steering knuckle on the car. Shorty figures it'll all be blamed on Humpy so he's not telling. And the suspense rises even higher!:

sports car photos

Got these from an issue of Western Wheel, not sure if it lasted more than one issue. Great photos. I'll post more. (And I know I haven't been posting much. Chaos and ennui.)

death drives a midget, part six

King of the Mounted is back for another Sunday. Humpy's off the hook because his stooge didn't do the dirty work, but Shorty Spade did. I seem to be noticing that Humpy and Shorty just don't want to be on the hook for killing Bill, but Cyclone would have been just fine. Hmmmm:

a couple cool links

Found a couple very nice blogs, mostly focused on the Indianapolis 500. And if you talk to a few older racers from the 50s and 60s that was a major trip, often taking up the whole month of May.

So, A Fan Comes of Age at the Indy 500 looks at the 500 year by year through a journal kept by his father.

And Walter Zoomie's blog, mostly on the 500 with reprints of stories done by his father (?), I think, for the Indianapolis Star back in the 50s and 60s.

Those two, plus tidying up some already on board up in the right corner, plus more to come.

Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneers for 2008

The Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneers Society is proud to announce their 2008 Pioneers in the categories of hot rod/drag racing, motorcycles, oval racing and sports car/road racing:

Hot rod, custom car and drag racing:

John Evans
Ed Loewen
Boots Olson
Carl Tjorhom

motorcycling

Ted Havens
Pete Kellond
Al Perrett

oval racing

Bill Diack
Bill Hall
Pete Harding

sports car and road racing

Gio Coletta
Vince Howlett
Merv Therriault

The ceremony will be held 1 p.m. Sunday, October 19th, at the Scandinavian Community Centre, 6540 Thomas, Burnaby, BC. $5 at the door. A light lunch will be provided. Cash bar on the facilities.

Langley Speedway reunion, September 7, 2008, some more

Some more photos from last Sunday:


Ralph Monhay shining up his restored 1964 super modified. Beautiful car. And it sounded great when fired up. Ron Michaux and Ken Kennedy at the back of the car.


Ken Kennedy brought the 1975 trophy his brother, Reg, won in a Western Canadian NASCAR series.


Jack Williams (at left in the white shirt) brought this late 1940s big car (sprint car) he'd bought out of Minnesota. It's got disc brakes and Jack says he's going to polish it up, and see what it looks like, before he decides on painting it.


Some of the colour photos of super modifieds that were taken by Ed Jacques. A lot of history in those photos.

Langley Speedway reunion, September 7, 2008

Was at the Langley Speedway reunion yesterday (Sunday). Good crowd, interesting cars, great stories.

I'll take a couple days and put up some photos.



The tent I manned and sold Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneer Society Yearbooks at.


The Langley Speedway Historical Society tents. Larry Draper looking lonely. It got busy.


The Jack Cross B modified from the late 1960s. Recently acquired by the Langley Speedway Historical Society from the Victoria Auto Racing Hall of Fame.

death drives a midget, part six

Been busy but never too busy for comics.

Too many people wanting Cyclone dead. And they've all set it up to happen and it's going to happen to the wrong driver!

the old outlaw circuit

The World of Outlaws drivers were at Skagit over the weekend. From close to 50 years ago here's a clipping of the IMCA, often referred to as being outlaws by the AAA and then USAC way back when.

Emory Collins was still the big draw in the Canadian swing, having grown up in Regina and having one of the more powerful cars.

From Lethbridge, 1950.